Red Light Running Accidents in Georgia

Each year in the United States, 90,000 people are injured, and about 1,000 are killed by people who run red lights. A crash involving red light runners is more likely than any other type of crash to result in some degree of injury.

It's a serious problem and a frustrating one because most of the time the driver's excuse is that they were in a "hurry". It is incredibly unfair to serious auto accident victims when someone actually feels that their time is more important than other drivers' safety.

Recently, a man in Cobb County was driving an Infiniti SUV and slammed into the driver's side door of a 2006 Toyota transporting a 20 year-old woman from Marietta. The man ran the red light while the woman in the Toyota had the green at an intersection. The woman died two days later from her injuries. The man was charged with homicide by vehicle in the second degree, a misdemeanor, and with disregarding a traffic control device.

Drivers run red lights for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes they are not paying attention; they are speeding; they are making illegal turns at the intersection; or they are driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. While many drivers are conscientious about obeying traffic signals, some are not so careful. Almost 93 percent of drivers feel that if a driver can stop at a red light that the driver should do so. However, a full third of these people also admit to running a red light in the past 30 days.

Most of the accidents that occur at red light intersections are T-bone collisions. This is when the front of one car strikes the side of the other car broadside. A driver can sustain serious injuries in T-bone collisions in a red light running collision, including broken bones, whiplash, spinal cord injuries, head trauma, paralysis and even death.

Red Light Cameras

Red light cameras continue to be installed at intersections across the country to catch red light runners in the act. There are 26 states, including Georgia, that currently have a red light camera program. If a driver runs the light, their photograph is snapped, and they are sent a citation and fine through the mail.

Studies conducted in some states have shown that red light cameras can reduce accident rates. California officials reported a 10 percent drop in car accidents due to the use of red light cameras. In San Diego alone, car accidents dropped 44 percent in areas with cameras. When the program was suspended for a short time, red light running auto accidents increased by 14 percent. Similarly, red light cameras used at intersections in the Washington D.C. area between 2004-2008 have reduced fatalities at intersections by 26 percent.

Red Light Running and Liability

If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident that involved another driver running a red light, then hiring an experienced auto accident attorney should be your second course of action after seeking medical assistance. Your attorney can conduct an investigation into the accident and make sure evidence is preserved and required actions are taken to protect your rights.

Taking care of your medical needs should be your first priority. It is also important to get a full assessment of your injuries. Before you discuss any kind of settlement with an insurance company, it is in your best interest to have a free consultation with an experienced Georgia auto accident attorney so that a possible legitimate claim that you may have is not jeopardized by communication that you have with the insurance company.

If the driver that was responsible for your injuries was caught on a red light camera, then an attorney may be able to access all of the photographs and citations from the camera. This red light camera evidence can be crucial to your case if you have to go to court. If there isn't camera evidence available, depending on the facts and the seriousness of the case, an attorney may work with accident investigators, reconstruction experts, find eyewitnesses, and of course deal with the insurance company on your behalf.

For over 39 years, the Georgia car accident attorneys at Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, have been helping people just like you in Atlanta and throughout Georgia deal with the challenges of traumatic injuries. We understand the potential legal and factual obstacles to proving your right to legal compensation. Our Atlanta car accident law firm will guide you through the process and fight for your rights.

Montlick and Associates is available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.